Packing!

[Kim Bombshell]

I am feeling overwhelmed with all the packing I need to do. I have made a list of all I need to bring, and where some of the clothes are (cleaners, alterations) and all I have to do! Plus I have to work Sat, Sun, and Tues, and am going to see Marti Brom Friday night and have tickets to Hank 3 on Sunday night. I leave at 5 AM Wednesday and also have to bring a bunch of Merch and Sax for a band that is playing Viva. Oh yeah, and also merch for Cockgrease. OK...maybe start with little steps first. Start with shoes, except those I'm wearing this weekend...it would be so much easier if I wasn't working and going out this weekend! Maybe start after I pick up the clothes from the cleaners? ACK! Oh yeah, I have to pack for my husband. Since he's flying in Friday and meeting me, he wants me to pack his suitcase for him and bring it in the car!

Anyone else feeling overwhelmed like me?

[Texas Timebomb]

This is the first year we are flying and not driving. Before I could just throw everything and the kitchen sink in my truck and not have to worry but this year I feel more limited because we will be on a plane. :(

[Vintage Suits by Mary]

I am pretty overwhelmed right now, too! I'm starting to think this fashion show was not the best idea.

[Cats Like Us {*}]

Dear Kim,

I too am overwhelmed when packing for VLV. I used to teach packing seminars and I have some advice that may or may not be useful. :)

1. If possible try to plan what you are doing each day. i.e. do I need to bring more casual or more dressy outfits? Do I need a bathing suit? If I'm dancing the night away (which I hope to be doing) I need to bring more swing dresses and less pencil skirts etc.

2. This sounds crazy but try to stick with outfits in three or four colors. Choose a base color like black and go from there. My choices this year are black, red, pink and white. This limits the amount of shoes you have to bring along and enables you to mix and match if necessary.

3. Bring 'multi taskers'. i.e. Pack a black and white sun dress. You can wear it with sandals, a hat and tote-bag during the day but dress it up at night with fancy heels, a clutch, matching hair flower, patent belt and rhinestone jewelry. One less outfit to bring!

4. As far as packing goes, open your suitcase and lay down your outfits flat over it-- one on top of the other. Don't fold them. Once they are all laid down flat you'll have pant legs and sleeves hanging out over your suitcase, don't tuck them in yet. Push the flat items down to the bottom, then fold and roll your PJs, T shirts and anything else that you don't have to worry about wrinkling. Place the rolled items on top of the flat ones, THEN fold your pant legs and sleeves that are sticking out from the flat clothes on top of the rolled clothes.

5. When traveling always wear the heaviest clothes or the ones that take up the most room so you don't have to carry them. If you bring jeans, it's better to wear them. Last year I wore my crinoline through the airport and on the plane, (under the appropriate skirt of course.)

I hope this helps!

[Kim Bombshell]

Since I'm driving, I thought I would not put my dresses in a case and just hang them or lay them out on top all the other piles of crap I'm bringing. I am wearing my jeans and cowboy boots when I drive so I don't have to pack them.

It's the little things I'm worrying about forgetting, and the toiletries! Nothing sucks more than forgetting your make up remover and having to use hotel soap to wash your face!

Cats Like Us said:

Dear Kim,

I too am overwhelmed when packing for VLV. I used to teach packing seminars and I have some advice that may or may not be useful. :)

1. If possible try to plan what you are doing each day. i.e. do I need to bring more casual or more dressy outfits? Do I need a bathing suit? If I'm dancing the night away (which I hope to be doing) I need to bring more swing dresses and less pencil skirts etc.

2. This sounds crazy but try to stick with outfits in three or four colors. Choose a base color like black and go from there. My choices this year are black, red, pink and white. This limits the amount of shoes you have to bring along and enables you to mix and match if necessary.

3. Bring 'multi taskers'. i.e. Pack a black and white sun dress. You can wear it with sandals, a hat and tote-bag during the day but dress it up at night with fancy heels, a clutch, matching hair flower, patent belt and . One less outfit to bring!

4. As far as packing goes, open your suitcase and lay down your outfits flat over it-- one on top of the other. Don't fold them. Once they are all laid down flat you'll have pant legs and sleeves hanging out over your suitcase, don't tuck them in yet. Push the flat items down to the bottom, then fold and roll your PJs, T shirts and anything else that you don't have to worry about wrinkling. Place the rolled items on top of the flat ones, THEN fold your pant legs and sleeves that are sticking out from the flat clothes on top of the rolled clothes.

5. When traveling always wear the heaviest clothes or the ones that take up the most room so you don't have to carry them. If you bring jeans, it's better to wear them. Last year I wore my crinoline through the airport and on the plane, (under the appropriate skirt of course.)

I hope this helps!

[Edson Carlos]

Edson enters...


How about just 1 outfit per day like a normal trip?


...takes of running from the high heels being tossed at him in this thread...

[Kim Bombshell]

Men are so ignorant!

Edson C. {PL} said:

Edson enters...


How about just 1 outfit per day like a normal trip?


...takes of running from the high heels being tossed at him in this thread...

[Edson Carlos]

Hahahaha, I love you bombshell! You know if any guy here wants to see a girl arrive with 16 suitcases of outfits and shoes, ITS MEEEEE ! RAWR!

Kim Bombshell said:

Men are so ignorant!

Edson C. {PL} said:

Edson enters...


How about just 1 outfit per day like a normal trip?


...takes of running from the high heels being tossed at him in this thread...

[Miss H**** Clothing]

im feel you with that one!

Vintage Suits by Mary said:

I am pretty overwhelmed right now, too! I'm starting to think this fashion show was not the best idea.

[Vintage Suits by Mary]

Maybe after the fashion show we can get together and have a good stiff drink!

Miss H**** Clothing said:

im feel you with that one!

Vintage Suits by Mary said:

I am pretty overwhelmed right now, too! I'm starting to think this fashion show was not the best idea.

[Miss H**** Clothing]

sounds good to me!! Another designer and i said exactly the same thing a few days ago!..it will be nice to meet up with everyone for a well deserved drink!!!

Vintage Suits by Mary said:

Maybe after the fashion show we can get together and have a good stiff drink!

Miss H**** Clothing said:

im feel you with that one!

Vintage Suits by Mary said:

I am pretty overwhelmed right now, too! I'm starting to think this fashion show was not the best idea.

[Kristy C]

KIM!! I can help you with the toiletry thing. I am the damned queen of forgetting that kind of stuff on trips and have found a method that works. The makeup remover is a great example of that "little" stuff that you normally never think about, and can be left out very easily when packing stuff from the bathroom. Viva '07 I believe, I forgot razors, shaving cream, and facewash......cause it was all in the shower out of my view, therefore it was left behind. My husband found razors and cream in the gift shop but no face wash......I used hotel soap and a wash cloth to scrub the crap off my face and it sucked!

Make a list! I use a notebook, go through the bathroom and write down every thing that I want to take, with a little box next to it to check off as I put it in the bag.
Shower stuff is always last but not least. Pack all the stuff from the shower that you plan on taking immediately after your last shower before you hit the road. I mean, right away......before you get dressed or towel off or anything. Wipe the stuff down so it's dry, secure all caps.....you know. If you wait till you get dressed trust me you'll forget it, especially with all the other stuff on your mind.

If there is anything that you do not use everyday that you'd like to take, pack that today! Then make a list for the rest of the stuff. I have already packed a crap load of hair stuff (like my CHI styling products, the small curling iron, bobby pins)......I do not use that stuff every day, or hardly ever for that matter, so it's been in my bag for a week.

Good luck!

[Wink Holliday]

Flying out to Cali once a month may be a pain to some extent, but it means that I have a permanently packed set of toiletries! Hooray!

A few years ago, I took photos of all of my dresses/shoes/handbags and uploaded them to Flickr. I update the photos when I get new stuff (or at least, I eventually do) and when it comes time to pack for Viva, I make an album where I match up outfits: one casual and one fancier outfit for each day. Which reminds me, I have some stuff that needs photographs so I can splice it into the mix.

And if I do forget something? Ah, it's a vacation above everything else. The world won't stop spinning if I forget my Burt's Bees coconut foot cream. Gotta flip that "relax" switch!